The Brady Bunch. The Partridge Family. The Waltons. Three important
families in television history, all with perfect children with perfect
manners.
Today, however, things are not so "peachy keen". Many children do
show respect to adults. They cut in front of others, scream and yell in
public and forget to say those famous words, "please" and "thank you."
Although, the traditional forms of respect are declining, there is
hope for the future if parents want to do their part in teaching
manners.
How is a parent supposed to teach their child how to be respectful
to others?
"It’s almost all modeling," says Ed Christopherson, PhD,
clinical
psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. "Let your child
observe your way of life, how you do things, and they are more likely
to follow the way you act than any other person they are in contact
with."
When a parent is respectful to those they are around, the child
will also be respectful. If the parent says please and thank you, then
the child will say please and thank you. If the child sees the parent
yelling at football games the child will to yell at football games.
"Children are 100 times more likely to do what their parents
do," says Dr. Christopherson. "If you look down the road 10 to 15 years
and visualize how you want your children to act to others, then set
your goal and live your life to achieve that goal."
Dr. Christopherson suggests that parents enjoy one formal meal
a
week with their children. "Have one nice dinner a week with your child,
make them comb their hair, wear nice clothes, say "please" and "thank
you". In the long run, the children will learn how they are supposed to
act in different settings and it won’t be so difficult to teach them
how to act when they are wanting to eat at a formal setting later in
life."
Dr. Christopherson also suggests that parents give their
children responsibility at an early age and give them what everyone
wants—respect.
